LL Cool J

This is LL Cool J’s 11th album and on Todd Smith you get the one-two punch combination that LL has used throughout his career: mega-commercial appeal and mega-sexuality. LL’s veteran sensibilities keep him in tune with who is buying records these days and he taps into the youth market with "It’s LL and Santana” featuring Juelz Santana. It’s a thick bumping Just Blaze sounding track that would rock any big truck. Todd Smith is half about the music and half about the market. It’s also the name of LL Cool J’s new signature clothing line, and the 12 tracks feature guests on all but one. These guests are some of the hottest artists in the contemporary urban market: Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx, Teairra Mari, 112, Freeway and Ne-Yo all appear with varying results. The sound on this album is sexy and sweaty, and the sex appeal shifts from slow to frantic. "Preserve the Sexy” is a cool duet with Teirra Mari who gets sultry while LL does the playboy routine. "Control Myself” is the frantic club anthem with LL and J. Lo rocking over a vintage electro beat. LL is still hard and horny as hell, and still doin’ it his way.